


Compromise

by littletechiebird



Category: DCU, DCU - Comicverse, Red Robin (Comics), Robin (Comics), Superboy (Comic)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-30
Updated: 2012-03-30
Packaged: 2017-11-02 18:46:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/372161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littletechiebird/pseuds/littletechiebird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Request: "We know now even the greatest of heroesHave their moments of compromiseBut in the end, we choose (hold on choose) how we live,And I need you right here by my side.." Don't Leave -Ministry of Magic</p>
            </blockquote>





	Compromise

“I wanted to kill him.”

The young male spoke nonchalantly, standing upon one of many rooftops in Gotham, eyes emotionless and cold, not that they could be seen from behind the cowl. Not for most, anyway.

But Kon had his ways. 

“I wanted to kill him and be justified in doing it, so I wouldn’t feel any kind of guilt or responsibility. As if I could just play some kind of messenger of justice - in the most final sense.”

He spoke without hesitation, because he knew Kon was allowing him to speak. To let him know whatever on his mind without judgment because that was how it worked between the two of them. They listened, and then if there was a need for response, it would be there. If not, knowing that they had been there to listen, and had just  _been there_  at all.. it was good enough. They kept each other’s secrets, and they kept each other sane.

“I gave him every opportunity..  _Every. Single. One._ ” 

Tim’s tone grew harsh then, and his hands had balled into fists, beginning to tremble in the slightest from the raw emotion that was running through his veins at that very moment.

“Anyone with a single damn shred of humanity would have taken at least  _one_  alternative route at  _any_ point. But he didn’t. Just like he didn’t with my Dad.”

A few moments of silence.

He seemed to be trying so hard to keep himself in check. Probably falling back on a few different methods Bruce had taught him to control his emotions, or keep from feeling them at all.

“So.. since I had clearly proven that he was a monster - someone who didn’t deserve even one more chance - I thought… I thought it would only be fair.. only be  _right_..”

The silence that hung then, it remained for a while. Kon allowed it to continue just to be sure that there wouldn’t be something else that needed to be said. He didn’t want to interrupt Tim. Not on something like this.

He took a few steps forward to close the gap that had been purposefully left to give his friend the space he needed while he spoke, and rested a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly, and assuring him  on the words that wouldn’t need to be spoken. He wasn’t sure what he could say at all, really. What could anyone say to that?

“Bruce made his disappointment pretty clear.”

That alone bothered him more than he would even begin to allow himself to say. Shouldn’t Bruce have understood? Why would he even give Tim a hard time when he made the  _right choice?_  In the end, he still kept to the morals that he’d had within himself, the same ones that Bruce had reinforced for so long, and still the same ones that Tim’s parents had taught him, no matter how rocky their relationship had been at any point. 

“Tim.. I’m not going to pretend like it didn’t kind of worry me that you went through all of that trouble to begin with..” He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, and squeezed with the hand that still rested on Tim’s shoulder. “..but it’s not like I know anything about what you’ve gone through lately. You lost a  _lot_. No matter how much we talk about that, I know it isn’t going to make it okay, man.. But I know what matters from what happened that night is that you _still_  made the right choice. You didn’t have anyone or anything to hold you back but yourself. You could have killed that guy in a second if you wanted… I  _know_  you have the skills to. But I also know it isn’t  _who you are_.”

The eyes that matched the sky shifted to look at Tim, knowing he had no intention of meeting his gaze, not right away. He knew Tim was fighting too hard not to fall apart. He knew that this… This had seriously done a number on him in a way that he could not have needed less.

“You didn’t compromise who you are. You may have come close.. but it doesn’t matter. You still chose right. You chose what you can live with. You know that having that bastard’s blood on your hands wouldn’t have fixed anything. It would’ve made things a million times worse.”

As he spoke, he wrapped his arm around the other and pulled him close, holding him tight, though the grip that Tim reciprocated with was one that seemed to be for dear life.

“He deserves to die, don’t get me wrong. I think he deserves to bleed almost as much as you do… but you won’t be the one to do it. You don’t need to shoulder that too, Tim..”

Pressing his lips to the other’s temple, he just held him as his body shook with the silent sobs. No matter how “okay” Tim had continually insisted he was, it was clear that this recent event had reopened a wound or two. It was the conflict of the event itself, feeling the disappointment of a father figure, and likely feeling the fear of wanting so badly to kill that man, and being so close to doing it.

It was a lot to handle.. and it had been a long night.

“Let’s go home.”


End file.
